Ophthalmic surgeons using straight cannula to help introduce instruments into the globe have been limited to date to the use of straight, rigid instruments, or too deformable (“directional”) instruments. Such instruments must first pass through the cannula in an essentially straight configuration. The instrument is then deflected into some angle that is controlled by the surgeon.
The small dimensions associated with devices used in ophthalmic and other microsurgeries can result in higher rates of mechanical failure of instruments during use.
There is a need for a directional probe that has the durability and consistent geometry of a rigid instrument. There is a further need for a directional probe that does not have moving parts which helps to ensure structural integrity of the inserted portion of the instrument. There is yet another need for a directional probe that has a monolithic geometry which is stronger than hardware employing flexible or deformable features and simultaneously provides angulation and cannula compatibility.